Even Those Cleared of Crimes Can Stay on F.B.I.’s Watch List (nytimes.com)

September 27, 2011

The FBI’s terrorist watch list, which contains 420,000 names, including about 8,000 Americans, includes individuals who have been acquitted of terrorism related charges, or who had charges against them dropped. This practice raises significant constitutional concerns since it is almost impossible to know if your name is on a terrorism watch list, and if it is, the impact can ripple though many aspects of your life such as preventing you from boarding planes, entering the country, and even cause additional scrutiny at traffic stops.